Justin Che’s time with German Bundesliga side Hoffenheim has come to an end.
Hoffenheim announced Tuesday that they will not exercise Che’s purchase option from FC Dallas. Che has departed Hoffenheim to prepare for the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup with the U.S. Under-20 men’s national team.
“Justin and Eduardo [Quaresma] are talented lads and great characters. They have both repeatedly shown promising signs for the future,” said club director of football Alexander Rosen. “However, we have agreed with the players that in the current phase of their careers, they need regular game time to continue to develop. That is something we cannot guarantee them here.”
Che, 19, made 18 appearances for Hoffenheim II in the German third-tier while also making one German Cup appearance as well this season. The FC Dallas homegrown made two senior appearances for Hoffenheim last season after arriving on loan in January 2022.
Che previously was loaned to Bayern Munich as well, making eight appearances for Bayern II in the 3. Liga. He’s made 15 appearances to date with FC Dallas, as well as 16 previous appearances with then-USL affiliate North Texas SC.
Che will join up with Mikey Varas’ USMNT U-20 squad ahead of the start of the U-20 World Cup in Argentina on Saturday. The Americans have been paired with Ecuador, Fiji, and Slovakia in Group B.
Hope he can bounce back. He is kind of a tweener between a RB and CB. Probably thrive in a 3 back system to be honest. Hope he gets more minutes with Dallas.
I remember people freaking out when he was with Bayern and he was making statements about maybe suiting up for Germany. Everyone freaked out and the cap him now conglomerate we’re out in force. That was like 3 years ago when the dude was 17.
take notes, fanboys: “in the current phase of their careers, they need regular game time to continue to develop. That is something we cannot guarantee them here.” he may be saying the juice isn’t worth the squeeze in valuation terms, but plenty of players get signed at this point only to enter loan purgatory for years. for his own good as he’s kind of gone off-radar and i have to listen to people tout trendier alternatives like neal, who was making schoolboy errors on the senior field.
i give rosen some credit in letting him loose instead of buying him but leading him on. and for being honest about what prospects need at their age.
As well perhaps- credit to his agent for having his longterm interest in mind. Sounds quite like they were seeking assurances regarding playing time- without them preferred to move on. Sometimes it’s take to take a step back in order to make leap forward.
RP: it’s not a step back if you’re not really playing first team. to me it’s almost self respect or self defense. let me go someplace i will play so i have a career left. he sits some more in germany. he gets the wrong MLS team after that. next thing you know he’s in USL on the edge of no future and done. part of my point is i think it’s more random than people think. the best are the best. the worst get cut. but in between there are a bunch of similar talent players trying to make it work and some of it, to me, is fighting until you land someplace you are wanted. you find that you can build a career. some of this to me is people who try a short cut then find out they aren’t messi after all. maybe you should have been more cautious beforehand and definitely next time. you screw up enough and it’s over. even if you were more talented than many.
part of it, is to me a bench slot isn’t really much of a foothold. nor is loan heck. they like you this season but they didn’t get promoted and can’t afford you. better team next season but they don’t like you and you sit. you can play that lottery over and over or you can sign smarter in the first place. generally with this bunch, dial it down a notch.
i mean, part of my beef is i don’t think christian or reyna — for all the prestige of where they are and the supposed magic that rubs off just signing there — look better than before. if anything worse. to me the ones who improve and improve are like dempsey at fulham. find a good foothold and just work on your game knowing you start that week. i don’t think chelsea is interested in teaching pulisic what he doesn’t know. i think they want something now and that’s it. and if the next coach is less enthused you’re toast. i don’t see a better NT player out of it all. i personally think he’d be better off someplace he would start but had to work harder every game for them to have any chance. where he has to pull some rabbits out of hats.
RP: in terms of che, he’s a kid and you can treat this like an academy stint. he got some second team games and worked on his toolbox. but in terms of his career easy come easy go. there are already silly folks moving on to neal regardless how bad he looked with adults. he needs a smart next move. you make adult mistakes on your next steps after this developmental interlude and people start forgetting you exist even if you have more talent than people in the pool now. particularly as long as the analytics folks are in control who want to see numbers.
i mean, my best numbers year in college was my weakest play. but i got a role where i could freelance forward more. my best actual year i had no goals and an assist. USSF right now is looking for people starting and on numbers streaks. who cares if richards can actually ball….this was arena’s critique of GB……try watching them actually play for a change……..